This invention relates to a food holder for a barbecue rotisserie. A number of different embodiments of a food holder according to this invention are disclosed in this application. All of the embodiments have as a common element the provision of a rigid frame extending from one side of the grill to the other and having an unobstructed food encompassing void.
Many types of food holders or barbecue rotisseries are shown in the prior art. Ordinarily, a barbecue rotisserie includes a conventional natural gas or bricquet-type barbecue grill across the top opening of which is mounted an elongate shaft or rod. This shaft is mounted for rotation by an electric motor or hand crank. Usually, the food is speared onto the shaft and held by other short spikes so that the food rotates with the rotation of the shaft. The prior art also discloses many types of containers which are usually mounted to one side of or around the shaft and which are intended to enclose a number of relatively small food items.
These types of devices are well known and commonly used. However, they present a number of disadvantages which heretofore have been difficult to overcome. An ideal rotisserie device should be adjustable to accommodate a wide range of foods such as small chicken pieces to relatively large pieces of meat such as shoulders, sides and legs.
Such a device should also be adjustable in order to position the food symmetrically on the rotisserie so that the motor can rotate the food at a constant rate of rotation with the same amount of torque. If the food is symmetrically positioned, it cooks better since all sides of the food receive essentially the same amount of heat.
Ideally, such a device should also provide an unobstructed area for the food. This means that a centrally positioned, rotating shaft should not be used nor should the food be pierced or punctured and rotated on the shaft in that manner. Finally, the rotisserie should be rigid from one side to the other so that parts do not work loose as cooking takes place. Unless the food is rigidly supported from one end of the grill to the other, expansion and contraction of the metal parts as cooking takes place will loosen clamps, wing nuts, and the like, causing the food to become unbalanced on the rotisserie or to fall off the rotisserie into the fire. Likewise, shrinkage of the food can cause it to become loose on the rotisserie.
To applicant's knowledge, no prior art rotisserie device has accomplished all of these objectives.
In particular, the Zajc U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,877, discloses a relatively shallow wire basket mounted on a shaft which extends from one rotisserie support to another. By mounting the basket on top of the shaft, an unobstructed food enclosure within the basket is created. However, the basket is completely asymmetrical to the rotation of the shaft. This means as the basket rotates, constantly varying stress is placed on the rotisserie motor. In addition, the asymmetrical positioning of the basket means that one side of the food receives substantially more heat than the other sides since one side is closer to the fire.
The Brion U.S. Pat. No. 3,797,379, discloses a barbecue meat holder having rotatable spaced hubs with aligning stub shafts. Clamping bars extend from one end of the rotisserie to the other and can be adjusted to support a piece of meat. While the construction shown in Brion provides an unobstructed food enclosure, it does not provide a rigid structure from one side to the other which will resist constant rotation and constant expansion and contraction caused by extreme temperature variation. Furthermore, the device cannot be adjusted to position a large, asymmetrical piece of meat in a symmetrical position relative to the rotisserie. Therefore, as is shown in the patent, only a round, relatively symmetrical piece of meat is suitable for use on this device.
Some of the disadvantages recited above have been eliminated in a rotisserie device distributed by Paramount Housewares. The device is similar in many respects to that shown in Brion, but relies on two-diametrically opposed racks which can be independently adjusted, side to side on a T-shaped members which extend inwardly from opposite sides of the grill. An unobstructed food enclosure is therefore provided but the device exhibits a marked lack of rigidity and stability which renders it substantially unsuitable for large, asymmetrical pieces of meat or on any occasion where long cooking times are required.